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Monday, November 7, 2011

Parenting :: Giving them Grace

I have been very blessed by this book:

This is the hardest thing about parenting. Not the diapering, or feeding, or driving around, but the giving of the gospel. Giving them the law is easy. Telling them to follow your rules and punishing them for disobedience is simple. We just need to be more consistent, right?

Well, what about grace. What about teaching them that righteousness cannot be gained through the law. I don't want Jesus death on the cross to count for nothing in my home. (Gal 2:20-21)

I want Jesus death for sin to be the most important thing.

And here at the end of chapter three:

"Do you want to do the work of God? Okay, then believe. Believe that God is strong enough to save your children, no matter how you fail. Believe that he is loving enough to bring them all the way into relationship with himself, whether you understand "grace parenting" or not. And believe that he is wise enough to know the right way and the right time to do it. What do you need to do? Simply believe...

In the words of Martin Luther, "The law says, 'do this,' and it is never done. Grace says, 'believe in this,' and everything is already done." Everything is already done. Car you believe that? Will you?"

"Even though the tight buckles and restricting harnesses of the law might feel like a welcomed security to you, in the end they will chafe, and you'll want to throw them off. The law may serve for a time to keep your kids from rocking the cage too much, but eventually it will chafe against them, too. They will look for ways around it. The law cannot save them either. Tight buckles and restricting harnesses might make you feel more secure but the shocking truth is that you cannot control the direction of the gondola - you're completely at God's mercy.

Does that frighten you? Why would it? Doesn't the gospel teach us that being at God's mercy is a place of rest and blessing? Isn't falling into his merciful arms a good thing?"